hillrunner
PMA Member
About a quarter inch for the week up here. It was disappointing but we've been wet for so many years in a row, eventually you have to pay your dues.
Drought
- Thread starter loneranger
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Drought. I don’t see no stinkin’ drought! 
. I get pics sent to my phone where I can kinda see how plots are coming. This is one I call “garbage soil” that’s been worked on for long time now. tree line RIGHT IN FRONT OF CAM is drilled mix. But brassicas 10’ out sure look ok from this low resolution image. Can see way in background where the crp line starts too.
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. I get pics sent to my phone where I can kinda see how plots are coming. This is one I call “garbage soil” that’s been worked on for long time now. tree line RIGHT IN FRONT OF CAM is drilled mix. But brassicas 10’ out sure look ok from this low resolution image. Can see way in background where the crp line starts too.
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Wi transplant
PMA Member
You guys are gonna cost me more money!
I'm gonna be looking for a drill for my plots ! Great info guys !!
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I'm gonna be looking for a drill for my plots ! Great info guys !!Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
deerdown
Well-Known Member
I did a little experiment on my ground, the picture is a plot where I fertilized with n,p,k, and was a medium red clover field previously. It's doing ok. Another field I planted with ppt was also medium red clover but I didn't fertilize. I barely have leaves on what came up in that plot. Clover isn't enough to make a go of it apparently.
loneranger
Well-Known Member
No stinkin drought huh. Well since last rain it hasn't rained for two weeks. Just sunny days. this weekend,,NO rain,,,Next week NO rain. Extended forecasts for first week of Oct. NO rain. Bet most all of Iowa goes a month,,4 weeks, NO rain. And that is not dry ? Well all in your attitude I guess. there will be rain this weekend. Up North in Minn ,Wis,,and Mich. My first attempt at Brass,,back in Aug, a failure. My second attempt at rye and oat,,is up now, but has stopped growing and is turning a bit yellow. With zero rain in the forecast for the next 2 weeks, Pretty sad when you cant keep a stand of rye alive in Iowa in the Fall,, ,Well at least I tried! I know,,The negative loneranger again.
On bright side, at least you aren't driving 6 hours each way to fail like some of us.
Jerry Gille
Member
I've had about 2" since mid July in west central Illinois. I put brassicas in August 2 and they are maybe 3 inches tall now and everything is yellow. I overseeded with rye and wheat 3 weeks ago before our last rain and it germinated and stalled out. Everything is yellow and dying or dead. I have given up on it for the year.
I put 250 hardwood seedlings and shrubs in - tubed 100 of them earlier this spring. I can't get water to them and they are on their own. I am starting to worry about them way more than these stupid plots that won't shake out.
Also got a direct seeding for 10 acres planned for mid to late October and am starting to worry about the ground being way too dry to even do that.
This was much more fun 30 years ago when I just deer hunted and didn't worry about all this other crap!!
I put 250 hardwood seedlings and shrubs in - tubed 100 of them earlier this spring. I can't get water to them and they are on their own. I am starting to worry about them way more than these stupid plots that won't shake out.
Also got a direct seeding for 10 acres planned for mid to late October and am starting to worry about the ground being way too dry to even do that.
This was much more fun 30 years ago when I just deer hunted and didn't worry about all this other crap!!
Lil perspective.... most folks doing this here for “enjoyment, fulfillment of hard work, deer hunting, etc”. Which I get it and I’ve dealt with ups & downs on this. Love it!!!
Then, A lot of folks out there who’s livelihoods depend on weather & could be majorly stressed out during drought years. I remember checking 5 different weather things about 3-4 times a day for weeks. & know u can’t control it. Can be stressful.
Little take aways though.... what are guys who do this for their livelihood do to “prepare” for inevitable drought? There lies many of the keys!!!! A long & complex list & huge can of worms!!!! But... NO TILL!!! I’ll repeat this til I’m blue in the face... if u are constantly having crop failures due to drought- quit tearing up the soil- removing all moisture & creating soil conditions that don’t hold moisture. Build up organic matter (cover crops, diversity, etc), seed rough ground down to stuff like alfalfa or legumes. Plant crops early so canopy early. Have armor on the soil - for trees or crops (mulch, pushed down cover crops, etc). & yes- farmers do irrigate as well which isn’t as practical but not the common route in my area. I honestly don’t know of one irrigation rig in my county. What u can do for & to the soil is endless. Some are fast results, others take a few years. Or a matter of “stopping” some steps that are counter productive. Attitude maybe is part of it - I guess to me, it’s the part where u gotta push through, not give up, be willing to try new things and realize anything great often has some challenges & obstacles. Good luck to u all. Keep at it.
Then, A lot of folks out there who’s livelihoods depend on weather & could be majorly stressed out during drought years. I remember checking 5 different weather things about 3-4 times a day for weeks. & know u can’t control it. Can be stressful.
Little take aways though.... what are guys who do this for their livelihood do to “prepare” for inevitable drought? There lies many of the keys!!!! A long & complex list & huge can of worms!!!! But... NO TILL!!! I’ll repeat this til I’m blue in the face... if u are constantly having crop failures due to drought- quit tearing up the soil- removing all moisture & creating soil conditions that don’t hold moisture. Build up organic matter (cover crops, diversity, etc), seed rough ground down to stuff like alfalfa or legumes. Plant crops early so canopy early. Have armor on the soil - for trees or crops (mulch, pushed down cover crops, etc). & yes- farmers do irrigate as well which isn’t as practical but not the common route in my area. I honestly don’t know of one irrigation rig in my county. What u can do for & to the soil is endless. Some are fast results, others take a few years. Or a matter of “stopping” some steps that are counter productive. Attitude maybe is part of it - I guess to me, it’s the part where u gotta push through, not give up, be willing to try new things and realize anything great often has some challenges & obstacles. Good luck to u all. Keep at it.
loneranger
Well-Known Member
Highly amplified weird weather pattern. Huge high pressure Heat continues to plague the west next week all the way to NW Canada. At the same time large Hudson Bay Trough digs to Iowa's east with Artic dump of air. Little to NO moisture with this Pattern for Iowa westward. I agree with jerry. Just hunt deer. Food plots, or bait , disguised as farming really won't change what I see that much.
loneranger
Well-Known Member
Minn slick,,,You have the best chance of showers over the next week! Up there in Minn. Farmin is a tough gamble. Why there is crop insurance. My little attempt at agriculture with a walk behind tiller and some seed is just a hobby, pass time, exercise. Plots very small. No equipment. Dont amount to nothin. Just observing,,,, weather seems to be trending more extreme. All or nothing. Rain that won't stop,,or nothing...
Brett Morris
PMA Member
Good Pete. How many times can Skip nicely state the obvious. Quit complaining or look at options to improve your soil. Based on the wealth of knowledge Skip's shared OVER & OVER again there are things you could be doing for your small plots that don't require huge budgets. Perhaps taking his advice & not tilling for the 5th time this year would be important to consider trying. I believe he mentioned just broadcasting it and leaving the soil untouched. Hard to believe but that last advice is actually cheaper AND better for your plots. Cripes.
My farms are in Northern MO so I'm battling the same weather you are.